George 'spectacularly stupid'

George Galloway was today derided as "spectacularly stupid" for deciding to appear on Celebrity Big Brother.

Mayor Ken Livingstone joked that he, too, had occasionally become involved in a media stunt, but would never have lowered himself to the antics of the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow.

He spoke out as Mr Galloway's place in the Big Brother house was secured for another week when he avoided being nominated for eviction. Instead Faria Alam, Dennis Rodman and Pete Burns will face the public vote.

Mr Livingstone said he had thought of starting a rumour that he was about to appear on the show as a surprise guest, but thought better of it.

In a reference to Mr Galloway's much-derided performance as a cat - which saw him licking imaginary-milk from Rula Lenska's hand - the Mayor said: "You are not going to see me rolling around purring at Sally Hamwee [the London Assembly's Liberal Democrat chairwoman].

"I think it may have been a miscalculation. I occasionally get involved in media events that were not as ennobling as I would have hoped, but I have never done anything as spectacularly stupid as this."

He added: "Much though I found the House of Commons dull, it was never as soul-destroyingly dull and tedious as the Big Brother house."

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Commons has said he will investigate claims that Mr Galloway's signature appeared on Commons motions after the reality show started earlier this month.